"Oh, darn." Xander muttered as they passed through the portal into the Summers home. "I forgot to ask Colonel O'Neill how he's doing with Magic. Well, guess I'll just have to remember to ask him next time." As Dawn launched into an exciting retelling of their adventures and her new friend and finally meeting another her to the gathered Scoobies.
"Leaving when we did was a good idea though." Faith took a seat on the couch and stretched out her legs. "Because Salem is amusing only in small doses, he was beginning to pluck my nerves. And I was especially not enjoying being called foxy lady so much. Once or twice, not a problem, even flattering. Every single sentence? Borders on insulting, like he can't think of anything else to call me. You know, like sexy and gorgeous. Older Xander called me a gorgeous brunette. And meant it, I can see why older me fell for him, besides those shoulders and how hot he makes an eye patch look. Like a sexy pirate, he can shiver me timbers all he wants." She grinned at younger Xander, who was starting to get used to her teasing and just shook his head. Being with Faith would be as much of an adventure and wonder as being with Cordy was, he could see why his older self had fallen for her, they both had a fire in them that burned most people. Apparently not him, because he really liked that fire. Along with the steal strength of their indomitable wills.
"So, Giles, anything new while we were gone?" Xander asked.
"I've arranged a flight to Vermont for tomorrow to speak with Ms. Weems at Nevermore Academy." The older man answered. "And I've spoken to some of my contacts in the Council, word of myself and Dr. Zabuto quitting over the reinstatement of the Cruciamentum is spreading and most people who hear of it are either in shock that it was reinstated at all or very much want to believe we're lying, that the Council would not bring back that barbaric tradition. I've put feelers out to try to determine if they're stirring up unrest against the outcasts, but it hasn't even been a day, so I haven't heard anything."
"Have you had a chance to look into whether I'm related to the Addams?"
"I have and it seems you are. You mother is a cousin of Gomez Addams on his mother's side and her father's side, I have no idea if either of them are aware of the connection in this reality, however, as I didn't feel comfortable speaking with your mother on the matter. I was able to trace your mother's history though. She was born in Westfield, New Jersey, a small town where Gomez Addams and his family live, Wednesday is their eldest child."
"Huh, I know nothing about Jessica's family, she never talks about them." Xander shook his head. "Both my grandparents died when I was a kid. I wonder how other me got to know Wednesday and her family?"
"Perhaps there was a falling out in this reality that there wasn't in that one." Giles suggested. "Until you have a chance to meet the Addams or choose to speak to your mother on the matter, I'm afraid there isn't much to do on that matter."
"Hmm, a conversation with Jessica, I can see that going so well." Xander muttered sarcastically. "Anyway," he focused back on the group. "I need to figure out the best way to help Charlie and I'm thinking it's taking him to visit my half brother and asking his whitelighter to heal him. I've got a few secondary options but they could be risky."
"Magic and healing don't mix well." Diana said sympathetically. "The hazards can outweigh the gains. As I understand it, these whitelighters were granted power by higher level beings. That power is very different than the Magic you use and thus has different effects on a body. I agree, they're probably the best bet for a safe recovery for this boy."
"Well, those were our latest adventures and finding a way to help Charlie is now on our to do list, which is growing." Xander sighed. "Things were quiet until the Council showed up, Dawnie's adventures were about all we had to deal with and more often than not, have been learning experiences."
"Yeah, like learning Willow and Magic tend be unmixy things." Buffy grinned at her friend.
"Or confirmation that Buffy likes vampires." Willow shot back with a grin of her own. "And I'm not making the choices my counterparts made because I am learning from their example on what not to do."
"Or finding that it isn't just a joke that Xander's a demon magnet, it's an actual Talent!" Cordelia smirked.
"And you apparently scare demons, which has to be a freakin' Talent all on its own!" Xander laughed. "Not many people can say they scare scary things."
"I used to be the Boogeyman of the vampires." Buffy pointed out. "All Slayers are, so we can say that." She motioned to her mystical sisters. "But aside from Slayers, yeah not many." She agreed.
Dawn leaned against the wall she was sitting by, her mind drifting to a topic she knew she needed to bring up. A revelation her counterpart had told her and something the counterpart thought she'd already known. A topic that terrified her but she desperately needed an answer to and finally she blurted out the question raging in her mind, stopping the Scoobies conversation in its tracks.
"Am I real?"
"What?" Joyce stared at her daughter. "What do you mean, Dawn?"
"My counterpart said she was made, not born. Like Charlie, except with Magic, not science. Am I real?"